I admitted in a post just the other day…getting back into the swing of things now that Jackson is back at school has been a bit difficult. Some days, when he has school and additional therapies or doctors appointments too, I find myself rushing around trying to get everything done.
By the end of the day I’m often exhausted and feel bad because I’m not giving 100% of myself to Jackson…and that stinks.
That’s why I was intrigued to learn of the new book, Fed Up with Frenzy: Slow Parenting in a Fast-Moving World
Slow parenting expert Susan Sachs Lipman shares advice and tips in her new book, on how families can maintain a frenzy-free lifestyle even during the busy back-to-school season.
Fed up with Frenzy includes advice and activities to keep the spirit of summer alive during the fall, including:
Create Successful Children- The most valuable and useful character traits that will prepare children for success do not arise from extracurricular or academic commitments but from a firm grounding in love, role modeling, and guidance from family.
Improve Physical and Psychological Family Health- Slowing down for as little as six minutes, can reduce stress for people of all ages. Activities like walking, crafts, and reading significantly lower our heart rate and other stress indicators.
Create Lasting Family Memories and Traditions– Whether playing a board game or baking cookies, the warmest family memories come from moments that seem small at the time. Gestures that come from shared activity and downtime have a way of becoming family rituals.
Gaining a Sense of Purpose- Slow families enjoy a greater sense of purpose and connectedness. Simple activities such as dining as a family is associated with lower rates of teen drinking and drug use.
Five Fun Fall Activities for Slow Parenting- Stuff a Scarecrow, make a Fall-Leaf Placemat, Make Beaded Corn Ears, Roast Pumpkin Seeds, and build a Family Gratitude Tree for Thanksgiving.
The secret: The Slow Movement is really about having more fun. It’s also about being authentic, deciding what’s really important, restoring a sense of wonder, appreciating and helping one other, and taking time to enjoy and honor life’s simple pleasures in the relatively short time we’re all here together.
It’s about connecting to that part of ourselves and our families that somehow got lost in the shuffle of our busy lives.
I recently received a copy of this book and was immediately drawn in by how it easily maps out fun, slow activities to do with children while cooking, camping, gardening and more. I especially love that it offers lists of instructions and tells you the supplies you will need for each activity in the book.
Admittedly, I often fall into a pattern of rushing on days where I over planned activities and errands, even though I knew better. I have often had feelings of guilt when we were in the middle of what should have been a fun activity but I find myself with feelings of anxiety or looking at my watch….worrying how the rest of the days schedule will be affected.
This book really helped me to re-think how I should be spending time with Jackson in ways that count…and in ways that will strengthen our relationship.
About the Author
Susan Sachs Lipman is the founder of slowfamilyonline.com, writes for Christian Science Monitor‘s Modern Parenthood blog ane.d is the San Francisco Slow Family Life Examiner at Examiner.com. She is also the Social Media Director for the Children & Nature Network , which encourages and supports people and organizations working around the world to reconnect children with nature.
Fed Up with Frenzy: Slow Parenting in a Fast-Moving World
